Auxiliary container closing cap



. Sept. 10, i957 B. B. sL-:ATON

AUXILIARY CONTAINER CLOSING' CAP Filed May 5, 1955 INVENTOR. eapfz AT1-URN EYE Unite States Patent AUXILIARY CNTAINER CLOSlNG CAP Billy Bob Seaton, Cleveland, Okla.

Application May 3, 1955, Serial No. 505,583

3 Claims. (Cl. 229,-43)

This invention relates to closures for boxes and other containers, such as used for cereals and similar products and wherein all of the product is not used at the time the container is opened, and in particular, a closure having an end panel with a continuous ange adapted to be nested over the upper end of a container with a sliding cover for opening a portion of the end of the container, and in which the cover is adapted to be locked in both open and closed positions.

The purpose of this invention is to provide means for substantially sealing ends of containers, such as boxes, in which cereals are provided after the containers are opened so that portions of products remaining in the containers may be protected from insects and the like and also from the atmosphere.

Boxes, and particularly boxes used for dry cereals, are opened and after removing portions of the cereals it is difficult to close the ends of the boxes so that portions of products remaining therein are exposed to the atmosphere and also to such insects as roaches, liies, and the like. With this thought in mind, this invention contemplates an auxiliary cap, preferably made of plastic or other suitable material, adapted to be positioned over the end of a box or other container whereby after removing portions of products from such containers closure elements of caps positioned on the containers are adapted `to be actuated to closed positions, substantially sealing the containers.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a cap that isv adapted to remain in the kitchen in which the cap is adapted to be placed over the end of a container, such as a cereal box, after an opening has been formed in the end of the container whereby the box may be opened and closed as desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary closure element for boxes, such as cereal boxes and the like in which the device is adapted to be used on conventional boxes without changing the patterns of the boxes. Y

A further object of the invention is to provide a closure cap for containers of products wherein only portions of the products are used after the containers are opened in which the device is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, the invention embodies a substantially rectangular shaped cap having a continuous flange providing side and end walls and having an upper panel extended over a portion of the upper end and a sliding panel providing a cover with a ringer gripping tab on the outer end of the cover and with means for locking the cover in both open and closed positions.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description, taken in connection with the drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of the auxiliary closure cap ice with parts broken away showing locking means at one side of the cap.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the cap taken on line 2 2 of Figure l with the cover in the closed position and showing the device positioned on the upper end of a container.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section similar to that shown in Figure 2 showing the device with the cover in partially open position, the cover being shown in full lines in one position and in broken lines in another position.

Figure 4 is a cross section through the upper end of a container with the closure cap positioned thereon taken on line 4 4 of Figure 2 and showing a pin for retaining the cap in position on the container.

Figure 5 is a cross section through the improved cap taken on line 5--5 of Figure 3 showing the linger gripping tab at the end of the closure.

Figure 6 is a plan view of one end of the closure cap with the opposite end broken away and showing in particular the locking notches in shoulders or flanges of the cap and upon which the cover slides.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts, the improved auxiliary closure cap of this invention includes an upper panel 10 having a continuous depending ange providing side walls 11 and 12 and end walls 13 and 14 and a cover 15 having a iinger gripping tab 16 on the outer end and a dovetail or sealing bar 17 with a tongue 18 extended therefrom on the inner end.

The side walls 11 and 12 are provided with flanges 19 and 2i? upon which the cover 15 .slides and, as illustrated in Figure 6, the llange 19 is provided with notches 21 and 22 and the flange 2li with notches 23 and 24. notches are positioned in the extended edges of the flanges and extend only about midway of the width of the anges providing sufficient material in the flanges between the inner ends of the notches and walls to seal the container. The upper end of the end wall 14 is provided with a. wedge shaped section 25 that is positioned to coact with an inclined'tongue 26 extended from the under surface of the cover 15 whereby with the cover 15 in the closed position, as illustrated in Figure 2, the wedge shaped edge of `the section 25 extends into a groove 27 in the outer surface of the tongue.

In the position in which the sharp edge of the section 25 is in the groove or recess 27, the tongue 18 of the member 17 is positioned in a groove or recess 28 of a wedge shaped section 29 extended across the edge of the panel 19 whereby sealing means is provided at both ends of the cover or at both ends of an opening 30 provided in the upper part of the cap.

The side walls 11 and 12 of the cap extend above the anges 19 and 2d and cover 15 providing extended sections, as indicated by the numerals 31 and 32.

The bar or section 29 on the end of the panel 10 is provided with an inclined under surface 32 and a lower section 33 of the tongue 18 on the inner end of the cover 15 is provided with a surface 34 that slopes in the opposite direction to that of the surface 32 whereby the tongue 1S coacts with a similar tongue 35 of the member 29 to provide a binding or sealing action. The tongue 1S is also provided with an inclined upper surface 36 that coacts with a similar surface 37 at the end of the under surface of the panel 19 also providing clearance between the tongue 18 and panel `to facilitate binding and sealing of the tongues of the elements.

With the parts designed and assembled as illustrated and described, the cover 15 is positioned in the upper part of the auxiliary closure cap whereby it is adapted to slide on the flanges 19 and 20 and with the cover in the closed position, as illustrated in Figure 2, the tongue The 26 coacts with the sharp edge of the section 25 at the V20, as illustrated in Figure 3, and upon arriving at the open position the tongue 26 drops through the notches 21 and 23 whereby the cover 15 i-s locked or secured in the open position. V

-One of the walls of the closure cap maybe provided with an opening, such as the opening 38, andwith the device nposition upon a box or other container, as indicated by the numeral 39, a pin or other fastener, as indicated bythe numeral 40, is inserted through the opening 38 and forced through the Wall of the container, as illustrated in Figure 4, thereby providing means for retaining the closure cap in position upon the upper end of thebox or container. v

Closure caps of this type and design may be provided in dilferent patterns and particularly of diierent sizes whereby caps may be provided for different types of boxes or other containers used in a kitchen or theV like.

The caps may also be formedof plastic or other suitable material and may be provided in different colors.

It will be understood that other modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be rnade in the design and `arrangement of the parts without departing Vfrom the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is: 1. In an auxiliary closure cap for a container, the

Vcombination which comprises a panelhaving an opening therethrough and having aV continuous depending ange providing side and leind walls, said side walls having anges with notches in inner edges thereof extended inwardly therefrom and spaced from `the upper edges, and a cover slidably mounted on the anges extended inwardly from the side Walls of the cap providing a closure for the opening through said panel, said cover having a Vfinger gripping tab on one end and a depending tongue spaced from the end on which the tab is positioned, said depending tongue of the cover being positioned to coact with the notches of the flanges on the inner surfaces of said side walls for locking the cover in open and closed positions, and dovetailed' shaped sealing elements on Cil said cap and said cover to seal said cover when in closed position.

2. In an auxiliary closure cap for a container, the combination which comprises a panel having an opening therethrough and having a continuous depending ange providing side and end walls, said side walls having anges with notches in inner edges thereof extended inwardly therefrom and spaced from the upper edges, and a cover .slidably mounted on the flanges extended inwardly from the side walls of the cap providing a closure Vfor the opening through said panel, said coverV having a finger gripping tab on one end and a depending tongue spaced from the end on which the tab is positioned,

said depending tongue of thercover coacting with the notches of the flanges on the inner surfaces of said side walls for locking the cover in open and closed positions, said cap having a sealing element coacting with the depending tongue ofthe cover for sealing one end of the cover and said panel and cover having coacting dovetailed shaped sealing elements sealing the cap at the inner end of they coverlwith the cover in the closed position.

3. In an auxiliary closure cap for a container, the combination which comprises a panel having an opening therethrough and having a continuous depending ange providing side and end Walls, said side walls having anges with notches in inner edges thereof extended'inwardly therefrom and spaced from the upper edges, and a cover slida'oly mounted on the flanges extended inwardly from the side walls of the cap providing a closure for the opening throughsaid panel, said cover having a inger gripping tab on one end and a depending tongue spaced from the end on ,which the tab is positioned, said depending tongue of the cover coacting Withthe notches of the flanges on the inner surfaces of said side walls Vfor locking the cover in open and closedrpositions, means for retaining said cap in position upon the end of a container, and coacting dovetailed shaped sealing elements on said cap and said cover to seal said cover when in closed position.

References Citredrin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 615,324 Toohey Dec. 6, 1898 1,610,759 Downing Dec. 14, 1926 2,546,452 Kmieliauskas Mar. 27, 1951 2,564,252 Dickson Aug. 14, 1951 2,663,457 schauer Dec. 22, 1953 

